Separator

Abstract

Various embodiments of a separator are disclosed.

1. A separator comprising:
 a first surface configured to engage edges of sheets extending parallel to a media support surface and having a first coefficient of friction with the edges of the sheets; 
 a second surface configured to engage edges of sheets that extend nonparallel to a media support surface while being driven by a pick device, wherein the second surface has a second greater coefficient of friction with the edges of the sheets, wherein the second surface includes surface irregularities comprising teeth having rake angles, the teeth including a first tooth having a first negative rake angle and a second tooth having a second larger negative rake angle, wherein the first surface and the second surface are inclined; and 
 a ramp between the first surface and the second surface and rising above the teeth. 
 
   
   
     2. The separator of  claim 1 , wherein the teeth have a height of at least about 0.15 millimeters. 
   
   
     3. The separator of  claim 1 , wherein the separator is configured to separate multi-picks of sheets having a thickness and wherein the teeth have a height greater than the thickness. 
   
   
     4. An apparatus comprising:
 a first surface configured to engage the edges of sheets in a stack prior to movement by a pick device; and 
 a second surface configured to engage the edges of the sheets during movement by the pick device, wherein the second surface includes surface irregularities comprising teeth, wherein the teeth include a first tooth having a first negative rake angle and a second tooth having a second larger negative rake angle and wherein the first tooth and the second tooth alternately repeat along the second surface. 
 
   
   
     5. a The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are inclined. 
   
   
     6. The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a media stack storage configured to store a maximum stack thickness of media and wherein the surface irregularities are beyond the maximum stack thickness. 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the teeth have a height of at least about 0.15 millimeters. 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a ramp between the first surface and the second surface. 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the ramp has a height greater than a height of the teeth. 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a third surface configured to engage the leading edges of media prior to movement by the pick device, wherein the third surface has a higher coefficient of friction with the media than the first surface. 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the third surface is elastomeric. 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising a media support surface configured to support the stack of media, wherein the first surface and the second surface form a first separator that is removably coupled to the media support surface. 
   
   
     13. The apparatus of  claim 12  further comprising:
 a third surface is smooth or having third surface irregularities spaced from the first surface and configured to engage the edges of the sheets in the stack prior to movement by the pick device; and 
 a fourth surface configured to engage the edges of the sheets during movement by the pick device, wherein the fourth surface has fourth surface irregularities having a fourth height greater than the third height. 
 
   
   
     14. The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a fifth surface between the first surface and the third surface, wherein the fifth surface is configured to have a higher coefficient of friction with the edges of the media than the first surface or the third surface. 
 
   
   
     15. The apparatus of  claim 4  further comprising:
 a media interaction device; 
 a media support surface configured to support a stack of media; 
 a media path from the media support surface to the media interaction device; and 
 a media pick device opposite the media support surface. 
 
   
   
     16. An apparatus comprising:
 a media support surface configured to support a stack of sheets during picking from the stack of sheets; and 
 a separator comprising an inclined surface rising above an entirety of the media support surface and having a height so as to rise above a top most sheet of the stack of sheets, the inclined surface having teeth configured to engage the leading edge of a sheet being bent by a pick device, wherein the teeth include a first tooth having a first rake angle an a second tooth having a second rake angle. 
 
   
   
     17. A method comprising:
 engaging all leading edges of sheets in a stack extending parallel to a media support surface with a first surface along a first portion of an incline rising above an entirety of the media support surface and having a height so as to rise above a top most sheet of the stack of sheets, the first surface having a first coefficient of friction with the leading edges of the sheets; and 
 engaging the leading edges of the sheets after the sheets have been moved in a direction away from the media support surface up the incline with a second surface along a second higher portion of the incline having a second greater coefficient of friction with the leading edges of the sheets. 
 
   
   
     18. An apparatus comprising:
 a first surface configured to engage the edges of sheets in a stack prior to movement by a pick device; 
 a second surface configured to engage the edges of the sheets during movement by the pick device, wherein the second surface is rougher than the first surface and includes surface irregularities comprising teeth; and 
 a ramp between the first surface and at the second surface, wherein the ramp has a height greater than a height of the teeth. 
 
   
   
     19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first surface and the second surface are inclined. 
   
   
     20. The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the teeth include a first tooth having a first negative rake angle and a second tooth having a second larger negative rake angle and wherein the first tooth and the second tooth alternately repeat along the second surface. 
   
   
     21. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the teeth project beyond the second surface by a first distance perpendicular to the second surface and wherein the ramp projects beyond the second surface by a second distance perpendicular to the second surface and greater than the first distance. 
   
   
     22. The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the teeth include a first tooth having a first negative rake angle and a second tooth having a second larger negative rake angle and wherein the first tooth and the second tooth alternately repeat along the second surface. 
   
   
     23. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the teeth include a first tooth having a first negative rake angle and a second tooth having a second larger negative rake angle and wherein the first tooth and the second tooth alternately repeat along the second surface.